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Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

blog.luanti.org

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Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#131

Post by kg »

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #119
SwellJoe wrote: post #80

I know this isn't the point but this post is a master class in how to inform readers when you expect people from outside your community to read it. It explains what every element is, concisely but clearly. I now know exactly what Luanti is, who all the actors are in this conflict, and what the conflict is about. It clearly conveys the who, what, when, where and why of the situation. Also, DMCA is a damned mess, with…

This isn't DMCA. The DMCA process provides for immediate restoration of contested content upon issuance of a counter notice. At that point the internet service is absolved of any responsibility until a court orders the removal. Google has never implemented that process.

It's not immediate restoration, there's a delay.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#132

Post by WarmWash »

rpdillon wrote: post #114
WarmWash wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But the IP is, and it's jury that would likely decide. So with a straight face, you think a jury wouldn't call this Minecraft? https://www.luanti.org/media/gallery/5.jpg Also Luanti probably could doge all this if they just ditched all the blatant minecraft clone mods. A mining game with blocks is totally fine. If you look back at infiniminer, it's clearly a different vibe of the same concept.

You're confusing copyright with patents, and you cannot patent a game design. Well, you couldn't. I'm not sure about these days. In any case, this isn't a patent claim. It's a copyright claim, and copyright protects expression, not the idea. That'll all become glaringly obvious when this is reinstated, because the copyright claim is bogus.

The design or gameplay isn't the issue, the aesthetic is clearly Minecraft.

You can't take Minecraft assets, mix the pixels around a little bit, and then be legally free and clear. If the public looks at pictures of your game, and they say "100% it's Minecraft", you're gonna have a bad time.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#133

Post by WarmWash »

Macha wrote: post #127
WarmWash wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually the benchmark is "would a person reasonably confuse this for being the IP of another company" https://www.luanti.org/media/gallery/5.jpg C'mon...

The most prominent object in that scene is the low poly airship. Minecraft does not have vehicles, does not have objects with components with such a small thickness as the railings, does not have angles like the bow of the ship or the ropes. It looks more like a Runescape asset than a Minecraft one, for example: https://runescape.wiki/images/thumb/The_Adventurous.png/1200...

And you would bet your life savings that the general public, including a jury, would know that? They would look at Minecraft and say it's a clearly different game?

"Obviously the real Spiderman has an "i" and not a "y" in its spelling!!1!"

Explain that to a jury in front of a judge and Disney lawyers and see how your legal theory goes over...

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#134

Post by kg »

testing22321 wrote: post #24

If there are no consequences for filing a false DMCA takedown, what stops people or companies filing them all the time to take apps from Apple or Microsoft offline?

Apple and Microsoft have speed-dial access to the relevant legal departments to get their apps put back online

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#135

Post by veeti »

danaris wrote: post #43
duskdozer wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doubt it. Microsoft probably just sees "voxel game" and files the claim, because they don't lose anything if it fails. From the article: >Luanti’s Android app is currently not available on the due to a baseless DMCA notice filed on behalf of Microsoft by Tracer.AI, alleging that Luanti infringes Minecraft’s copyright. >Luanti is a voxel game-creation platform where anyone can make, share, discover, and play blocky ga…

Yeah; notice that "on behalf of": Microsoft isn't even the one filing this, they've outsourced their enforcement and may not even have known about this before it blew up.

Here's another arm using Luanti as a test bed: https://arxiv.org/html/2603.03482v1

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#136

Post by api »

rahulyc wrote: post #126
kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't DMCA. The DMCA process provides for immediate restoration of contested content upon issuance of a counter notice. At that point the internet service is absolved of any responsibility until a court orders the removal. Google has never implemented that process.

Yes, Google is really bad at this. For all the problems with Amazon, they're actually much better at actually following DMCA

A major problem with closed mobile platforms is that if you have an App Store monopoly, why do you need to care? It's why all the app stores are absolute trash.

Not sure how Apple handles DMCA but I know they're known for capricious arbitrary actions and being impossible to talk to. Their search and navigation is also total trash.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#137

Post by kevin_thibedeau »

BrenBarn wrote: post #124
kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't DMCA. The DMCA process provides for immediate restoration of contested content upon issuance of a counter notice. At that point the internet service is absolved of any responsibility until a court orders the removal. Google has never implemented that process.

And that's because the DMCA lets Google exploit its position. It's still a DMCA problem until the DMCA is either repealed or fixed to produce a comprehensively good situation.

Google made an arrangement to keep YouTube afloat. The copyright cartels can't use their automated libel machines if the fraudulently accused have the means to exercise their full rights. That would incur untenable operational expenses when people are permitted a low friction path to nullify the takedowns and then advance to the courts if the libeler wants carry on with their lies.

With intentional bias built into the system, Google gets favorable treatment on remuneration for the commercial copyrighted content that they host. The fix is a revision that revokes safe harbor protection when an accused party is disenfranchised by omission of the counter notice process.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#138

Post by cryptolobster »

The situation is absurd. The fact that an AI bot from Tracer.AI filed a complaint without any real review just because Luanti uses a similar visual style to Minecraft, and Google just accepted it and removed the app is a problem of automation without oversight

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#139

Post by hotsalad »

WarmWash wrote: post #132
rpdillon wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're confusing copyright with patents, and you cannot patent a game design. Well, you couldn't. I'm not sure about these days. In any case, this isn't a patent claim. It's a copyright claim, and copyright protects expression, not the idea. That'll all become glaringly obvious when this is reinstated, because the copyright claim is bogus.

The design or gameplay isn't the issue, the aesthetic is clearly Minecraft. You can't take Minecraft assets, mix the pixels around a little bit, and then be legally free and clear. If the public looks at pictures of your game, and they say "100% it's Minecraft", you're gonna have a bad time.

What are you talking about? There are no Minecraft assets in that screenshot, even with "pixels mixed around". I play both games and can tell you that screenshot is easily distinguished from Minecraft.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#140

Post by trinsic2 »

SwellJoe wrote: post #80

I know this isn't the point but this post is a master class in how to inform readers when you expect people from outside your community to read it. It explains what every element is, concisely but clearly. I now know exactly what Luanti is, who all the actors are in this conflict, and what the conflict is about. It clearly conveys the who, what, when, where and why of the situation. Also, DMCA is a damned mess, with…

> Also, DMCA is a damned mess, with the worst people in the world profiting from it and bullying small creators. There really should be better mechanisms to defend oneself from spurious claims.

Im pretty sure this is by design. The big players need to stifle small creators to maintain monopolies, google helps them do this because they benefit in some way.

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